By Staff
Niles and Sturgis entered Thursday's competition with identical records and left with identical records after splitting a Big 16 Conference softball crossover doubleheader.
The visiting Vikings won the first game 5-3 but suffered a 10-2 loss in the second game, leaving both teams at 14-10 on the year.
The Vikings scored four runs in the second inning and added one more in the top of the seventh.
Niles did not commit any errors in the opener.
Kari Eckstein earned the pitching victory to improve to 8-5 on the year. She struck out nine batters and gave up only four hits.
Cara Frucci and Kayla Gross each hit a double while Tasha Lary, Lindsay Carey and Kate Whittaker each added a single.
Niles committed five errors in the second game and gave up six runs in the first two innings.
Frucci started pitching but was relieved by Julie Kater in the first inning.
Carey and Whittaker each doubled for Niles while Gross added a pair of singles. Kater, Frucci and Stephanee Schrader each hit a single.
Niles hosts Culver (Ind.) Academy Saturday at noon for a non-conference doubleheader.